Annoying or troublesome in a persistent, nagging way.
Possibly from the Dutch word 'peski' or related to 'pest', though the exact origin is uncertain. The '-y' suffix makes it an adjective meaning 'having the quality of being pestering.'
The word 'pesky' has a playful, almost affectionate quality to it—you might call a mosquito 'pesky' rather than 'evil', which is why cartoons often use it for mildly frustrating antagonists rather than serious villains. Language can soften reality through word choice!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.